Season Lines predictions before training camp begins

[JerryGigantic]

Not worried about Jagr. He is a workout monster. But that sounds promising.

Just wrapping my brain about actually rooting for him. Lol.

 

[Offseason Champs]

Same thing is going to happen to Clowe. He's a nice THIRD liner on a good team that should have been nabbed for $3.2m and maybe he'll chip in 20 goals.

No. Clowe's biggest assets, judging purely from stat lines, is his ability to dish the puck and generate points even if he isn't the one shooting the puck. Squandering him on a third line when he has a track record of producing when he's around talent is just a mistake. If he isn't top 2 lines or playing with at least two moderately skilled players, he will be a total waste.

Clarkson, on the other hand, is a guy who is sometimes able to generate a pitiful amount of offense with his ability to go to the dirty areas and knock in some rebounds. If he isn't scoring goals then he's a black hole of offense. I would have liked him back because of the energy and his tenacity and his ability to go to those hard-nose areas. He is a perfect third liner.

Clowe is a pretty good second line player, imo. That's where he should be.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Clowe needs to play with skilled players.

 

[CerebralGenesis]

what are you laughing at?

you do know that Clowe last year (in a "down" year in your opinion and many others) only scored 5 points less than your boy Clarkson, right? and thats in 8 less games played, too.

want to have a bet that if both players are healthy Clowe will outscore Clarkson?

thats the guy who was raving of Clarkson's hockey IQ. Don't get too worked up.

 

[Benedict Parisechuk]

How is 20 goals an upgrade? Clarkson had 30 in 2011-12 and had 15 in 48 games this season which is a 26 goal pace. 20 isn't an upgrade.

Clarkson will not score 30 goals in this league again. He may very well score 20 this year but if he does that then I guarantee he won't have more than 10-15 assists. Clowe will outscore him points wise this season. I'm quite confident in that. Clowe's norm is 17-25 so I don't see how 20 wouldn't be an upgrade over what we had last year. I'm not convinced Clarkson would have even broken 20 last year at the rate he was going during the 2nd half.

 

[SpeakingOfTheDevils]

Clarkson will not score 30 goals in this league again. He may very well score 20 this year but if he does that then I guarantee he won't have more than 10-15 assists. Clowe will outscore him points wise this season. I'm quite confident in that. Clowe's norm is 17-25 so I don't see how 20 wouldn't be an upgrade over what we had last year. I'm not convinced Clarkson would have even broken 20 last year at the rate he was going during the 2nd half.

While I don't know if Clowe's 20 is an upgrade to Clarkson's potential total this year, I do now that Clowe's presence on our roster is a massive upgrade over Clarkson's. Clowe is as good or better than Clarkson at nearly every facet of the game.

 

[SpeakingOfTheDevils]

I love reading encouraging Jagr articles like that one. He's still a shadow of his former self, but he's still a beast on the ice and a superhuman while training. I, too, don't have doubts about him putting up 20+ goals and 50+ points this season.

 

[Hockey Sports Fan]

Clowe needs to play with skilled players.

Agreed, but luckily for him (and Pete) he can play with skilled players on almost any line. There's no point playing him in the top 6 just to maximize returns on a bad contract if someone else will do a better job in that spot. The third line wouldn't be a bad spot for him if he's still lining up with guys like Loktionov, Josefson, and Zubrus.


On another note, we should take bets on whether Gionta's gonna play in Game #1 or not. I generally have trust in Pete's ability to create strong lineups, but I can definitely picture him leaning a little too heavily on Baby Gio this year in the face of (possibly) better alternatives.

To be honest, I'll be a little surprised if the CBGB line isn't taking (and losing) the opening faceoff.

 

[Bleedred]

I can't really see Clowe producing much with Josefson. I think he'll be fine in the top 6. I really like Clowe, even if the contract is less than ideal.

 

[Hockey Sports Fan]

Clowe and Zubrus can finish, Josefson and Zubrus are good setup guys. I think they'd have some success, and they'd be real tough to play against.

Josefson was never gonna be much of a goalscorer anyway. His biggest problem has been everyone shooting at unsustainably low percentages when he's been on the ice, which might be worrisome if they weren't all generally over small sample sizes between injuries. His vision is too good and he's too smart on the ice for his offense to stay cold forever, he just needs to luck into a good situation or a hot streak so he gets some leeway and a chance to shine with talent around him.

Still though yeah, if I had to choose, I'd rather see him on the fourth line and let Loki get a shot on line 3. I think Bernier and Carter would be great, stable guys to play between and ease him along his development.

But we all know Gionta's not sitting.

 

[Bleedred]

Clowe and Zubrus can finish, Josefson and Zubrus are good setup guys. I think they'd have some success, and they'd be real tough to play against.

Josefson was never gonna be much of a goalscorer anyway. His biggest problem has been everyone shooting at unsustainably low percentages when he's been on the ice, which might be worrisome if they weren't all generally over small sample sizes between injuries. His vision is too good and he's too smart on the ice for his offense to stay cold forever, he just needs to luck into a good situation or a hot streak so he gets some leeway and a chance to shine with talent around him.

I think he needs to work on his shot. He gets scoring opportunities, but his shot is pretty weak. Think he'd work out well centering Carter and Bernier.

 

[Hockey Sports Fan]

Yeah he definitely needs to be more of a threat on his own. Even on his draft day, the scouting report was that he needs to learn to take opportunities on his own and not always look for the pass. I'm sure he'll figure it out eventually, he's too smart not to (I hope).

Anyways, glad to see I can always count on you to be awake at times when I absolutely shouldn't be awake.

 

[Bleedred]

Yeah he definitely needs to be more of a threat on his own. Even on his draft day, the scouting report was that he needs to learn to take opportunities on his own and not always look for the pass. I'm sure he'll figure it out eventually, he's too smart not to (I hope).

Anyways, glad to see I can always count on you to be awake at times when I absolutely shouldn't be awake.

Yeah I definitely am not writing him off just yet. We really need him to pan out, and I think we're gonna need offense from guys we might not expect. Like Josefson and Lokti.

I'm a borderline insomniac. I get up at about 8:00 AM for work after only 5 hours of sleep sometimes. I at least shoot to get 6 usually!

 

[chris11inter]

Hey All,

I come in peace. Just wondering what are the chances Merrill makes the squad this year? I watched play live a few years ago and would love to see him with the big squad.

Where do you see him fitting in?

 

[Bleedred]

Hey All,

I come in peace. Just wondering what are the chances Merrill makes the squad this year? I watched play live a few years ago and would love to see him with the big squad.

Where do you see him fitting in?

We already have 7 defensemen signed for this year. I doubt he makes the team out of camp. He'll likely be in the AHL for most, if not all the year. Then he comes up next year hopefully when Volchenkov is bought out.

 

[apice3*]

How is 20 goals an upgrade? Clarkson had 30 in 2011-12 and had 15 in 48 games this season which is a 26 goal pace. 20 isn't an upgrade.

I don't understand how you can say 20 goals isn't an upgrade but then say we're a better team without #17 despite him being our best goalscorer. That's hypocritical.

Clowe's 20 goals are not as effective as Clarkson's 30 goals, but Clowe has a lot more playmaking ability and isn't one-dimensional. He's tougher to play against and won't look as out of place in the top 6 as Clarkson. His overall game is an upgrade over Clarkson, if he can stay healthy.

 

[MJB Devils23*]

Elias - Zajac - Jagr
Clowe - Henrique - Ryder
Zubrus - Loktionov - Bernier
Carter - Josefson - Gionta

 

[Bleedred]

I'd really prefer Bernier stays on the 4th line. I feel without him we might not have as much offense coming from that line.

I don't really think much about line combinations though. They change fairly often anyway.

 

[NC107*]

Elias - Zajac - Jagr
Clowe - Henrique - Ryder
Zubrus - Loktionov - Bernier
Carter - Josefson - Gionta

I would like a replacement for Gionta. DeBoer love him but he is such a liability.

 

[britdevil]

I would like a replacement for Gionta. DeBoer love him but he is such a liability.

Gionta is a decent depth player. You've got two or three guys battling for that spot.

 

[Hockey Sports Fan]

When Clowe scores 20 goals, he's probably looking at 40-45 points, maybe even more if he gets on a hot line.

Clarkson scored 30 goals and didn't even crack 50 points. 25 goals from Clarkson probably means 35 points overall, so I think Clowe's the guy I'd rather have taking shifts in my top 6. Clarkson was invaluable until he became a top-6 guy. He went from one of the best third liners in the league to one of the worst second liners.

 

[Bleedred]

When Clowe scores 20 goals, he's probably looking at 40-45 points, maybe even more if he gets on a hot line.

Clarkson scored 30 goals and didn't even crack 50 points. 25 goals from Clarkson probably means 35 points overall, so I think Clowe's the guy I'd rather have taking shifts in my top 6. Clarkson was invaluable until he became a top-6 guy. He went from one of the best third liners in the league to one of the worst second liners.

Yeah pretty much this.

I can only ever remember two great passes Clarkson made that he got assists on. One was to Zajac in game 4 against the Panthers. He circled behind the net and looked like he was going for the wraparound, but he passed to Zajac in the slot who scored.

Then that pass to Henrique on the game winning goal in game 4 of the SCF. I'm surprised he didn't try and shoot that one himself.

 

[NorwegianDevil]

Elias - Henrique - Ryder
Clowe - Zajac - Jægr
Loki - Zubes - Tedenby
Olesz - Carter - Bernier

Greene - Larsson
Salvador - ****licky
Volchenkov - Fayne
Care

Oldman
Redhead

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Elias - Henrique - Ryder
Clowe - Zajac - Jægr
Loki - Zubes - Tedenby
Olesz - Carter - Bernier

Greene - Larsson
Salvador - ****licky
Volchenkov - Fayne
Care

Oldman
Redhead

 

[Benedict Parisechuk]

Loktionov and Tedenby on the same line would be a trainwreck. I would be more comfortable with Olesz getting one of those spots on the 3rd line but that would mean one of Lokti or Teddy would be out of the lineup.